Recently Mark Schultz, contemporary Christian artist, wrote a beautiful song
entitled, "Walking Her Home." It follows a string of other tear
jerking "Life" songs from various artists that touch all of our
hearts, sometimes even bringing tears. These type of songs are very idealist in
that they make us for a moment empathize with the depth of love a man can
indeed have for his spouse. Often the songs will follow the theme of meeting
young, marrying young, having children, watching them grow and then growing old
together. However, as touching as they may be they still pale in comparison to
the love expressed by Jesus Christ on His road to the cross.

On this road, Jesus was tempted by Satan, confronted by demons, accused by
religious leaders, scorned by His family, mocked by His neighbors, challenged
by scribes of the law, called names, lied about, nearly stoned, faced poverty,
slept outside-homeless, was beaten, tortured, mocked, spit upon, endured hair
being yanked from His face, poked in the skull with thorns, flogged, jabbed by
a spear, punctured by nails and finally humiliated on a cross in front of the
multitudes.

CAN THERE EVER BE A GREATER LOVE?

While Christ hung on the cross He taught us about:

1) Forgiveness - "Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive
them, for they do not know what they do." And they divided His garments
and cast lots." Luke 23:34

2) Heaven - "And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to
you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."" Luke 23:43

3) Family love - "When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and
the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, "Woman,
behold your son!" Then He said to the disciple, "Behold your
mother!" And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home."
John 19:26-27

5) Humanness - "After this, Jesus, knowing that all things
were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, "I
thirst!" John 19:28

6) Being a finisher - "So when Jesus had received the sour
wine, He said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His
spirit." John 19:30

7) The Sovereignty of the Father - "And when Jesus had cried
out with a loud voice, He said, "Father, 'into Your hands I commit My
spirit.' " Having said this, He breathed His last." Luke 23:46

View from the Cross

When He asked the Father to
"...forgive them; for they know not what they do" He was teaching us that
in life we must practice forgiving others if we desire to be like Him.

When He said to thief “Today, you
will be with me in Paradise” He was saying when we express our faith and trust
in Him we will inherit eternal life.

When he gazed upon His earthly
mother, Mary, and stated, “Woman, behold your son” and the John, His beloved
disciple, “Son, behold thy mother” He was telling us that families are of
utmost importance.

When He looked into the crowds and saw the mockery of the Chief
Priest’s, Scribes and others from their party saying, “He saved others, Himself
He cannot save” He cried out “My God, My God why have You forsaken me!”
I believe He loved them so much that He desired that they see their sinfulness that they may repent and be saved. Pointing to the Scripture that would indict them is the first step in one understanding they need a Savior. They could not walk away from the crucifixion guiltless. But even still, they could be forgiven. So immediately, as Scribes and religious leaders, they would know he was quoting Psalm 22:1, a Psalm
which also told of the day these self-same priests would mock Him in the exact
manner to which they were mocking Him now, Psalm 22:1, 7-8. Why? Because Psalm 22 is a mirror of who they were and who He is. Furthermore, the same passage tells us the object of
their mockeries was One being crucified. And yet still more, it would be this
Person that would one day rule over the world!

16For dogs have surrounded Me; The
congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet; 17 I can count all My bones. They look and
stare at Me. 18 They divide My
garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots. Psalm 22:16-18
(NKJV)

And in,

24 For He has not despised nor
abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; Nor has He hidden His face from Him;
But when He cried to Him, He heard. (God heard Him) Psalm 22:24 (NKJV)

And again in:

27 All the
ends of the world Shall remember and turn to the LORD, And all the families of
the nations Shall worship before You. 28 For
the kingdom is the LORD'S, And He rules over the nations. 29 All the prosperous of the earth Shall eat
and worship; All those who go down to the dust Shall bow before Him, Even he
who cannot keep himself alive. Psalm 22:27-29 (NKJV)

When He said
“I thirst” He again fulfilled what was written before Ps.69:21, another proof
that He was the Messiah and that this Messiah would become a man. For it is
humanity that has need of water—It is unique to all of God’s creation to
thirst. God, coming in the likeness of man should tell us that He is not far
off—that He is close at hand—that He understands our hurt, trial and hardship.
And finally, because He understands He can have mercy.

When He said
“It is finished” He taught us to stay the course. It was Jesus who said, "No
one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom
of God." Luke 9:62 (NKJV) He
taught us to trust Him and to endure just as He endured that we too may receive
the prize of the high call in Christ Jesus. After the finishing event He gave
up his Spirit. It was finished. Mankind could not kill our Lord—Satan could not
kill our Lord. He gave Himself up willingly and in Obedience. It was obedience
that took Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, to the
cross—it is our obedience that also will bring many into His presence.

When He
said “Father, into Your hands I commit my Spirit” He taught us that we are all
accountable to the Father. That ultimately He controls all things, even the
daily events in our lives fall under the umbrella of His Sovereign control.
David could praise God for the wide place (Ps. 18:36) He placed him in. We also
have a wide place of grace in which to walk, but the pursuit of God Ps. 23:6,
never allows us roam too far, because God is in control.

As we remember
the final days of the Life of Christ—as we remember His final words let us
remember that it was love that took Him to the Cross. It was love that allowed
Him to take our place. It is love that called us to His side in faith and
obedience. And it is love that will bring Him back for us one future day.

The Sifted Generation is a resource to help believers understand the seriousness of what is confronting us. It also gives loving counsel on how to face the coming onslaught and reveals why our generation is witnessing the alarming rise of darkness. The world is choosing its sides and the stage is being set for soon return of the Lord Jesus Christ!